SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — A sideshow overnight Sunday halted traffic on the Bay Bridge, according to California Highway Patrol (CHP). Just before 2 a.m., CHP officers were breaking up a group of sideshow participants on the westbound side of the bridge near the toll plaza.
As officers were responding to that call, CHP received more calls about another sideshow happening on the eastbound lanes. Authorities spotted the sideshows and spotted more than 150 vehicles involved.
Cars and pedestrians were blocking all eastbound lanes, just east of Treasure Island, CHP said. Traffic was blocked for about 30 minutes. Around 2:21 a.m., the crowd of sideshow participants started to disperse.
Sideshow participants also fired illegal fireworks into the sky (see video above). CHP officers were not able to respond to the scene promptly as they were blocked by the sideshow traffic on the Bay Bridge, authorities said.
CHP Makes Arrests
After the crowd began to disperse, CHP conducted enforcement stops as cars were driving eastbound on the bridge. One vehicle stop resulted in a CHP chase that ended up in the Oakland area. The suspect vehicle’s occupants were arrested after spike strips brought the car to a stop.
Later, a suspect vehicle was involved in a hit-and-run crash. The suspect was arrested at a gas station in Oakland, according to CHP. It turns out the vehicle was stolen and had stolen license plates registered to another vehicle.
As of Monday evening, the traffic enforcement stops led to three arrests, according to CHP.
“The CHP takes these types of reckless and illegal driving exhibitions seriously,” CHP Public Information Officer Mark Andrews wrote. “Additional follow-up investigation will be conducted in regards to this incident, and appropriate enforcement actions will be taken against any persons or vehicles identified in this illegal and improper behavior.”
CHP says it is actively investigating this incident. The law enforcement agency requests any witnesses to send video from the scene to the CHP San Francisco Area office.
